Terminal elevating mechanism

Abstract

A support mechanism for raising and lowering a terminal monitor comprising an upper assembly and a lower assembly and a plurality of pivotable arms interconnecting the upper assembly and lower assembly. The upper assembly includes an upper plate, which supports the monitor, and an upper slidable plate slidably coupled to it, and the lower assembly includes a base plate and a lower slidable plate slidably coupled to it. Due to the way the pivotable arms are coupled to the various plates, when the upper slidable plate is driven with respect to its associated upper plate, the arms pivot either to raise or lower the upper assembly and its monitor load with respect to the lower assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An elevating support mechanism comprising a base plate,   a lower slidable plate adJacent to said base plate and slidable with respect to said base plate,   an upper plate for supporting apparatus to be raised and lowered by an operator,   an upper slidable plate adjacent to said upper plate and slidable with respect to said upper plate,   a plurality of first lifter arms in the form of flat plates, each pivotably secured at one end to said base plate and pivotably secured at the other end to said upper slidable plate, said first lifter arms all sloping in the same direction with a negative slope from said base plate to said upper slidable plate,   a plurality of second lifter arms in the form of flat plates, each pivotably secured at one end to said upper plate and pivotably secured at the other end to said lower slidable plate, each of said second lifter arms sloping in the same direction with a positive slope, and   means for moving said upper slidable plate to cause said arms to pivot and move said lower slidable plate and thereby to raise or lower said upper plate and its supported apparatus with respect to said base plate.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 and including brackets secured to the edges of said upper plate and base plate and a bellows engaging said brackets and extending between said upper plate and said base plate to cover the space between said upper plate and said base plate. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 and including a plurality of compression springs secured to said upper slidable plate and extending downwardly therefrom to engage said lower slidable plate when the upper plate is in a lowered position and it is desired to raise the upper plate, said springs assisting the raising of said upper plate. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 and including a plurality of horizontal springs extending between said upper sliding plate and one end of said upper plate to assist the movement of said upper sliding plate with respect to said upper plate. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said base plate includes front and rear walls and first guide tracks secured to the inner surface of each of said walls, the lower slidable plate having front and rear edges which rest in and are guided in said guide tracks, and said upper plate has front and rear walls and second guide tracks secured to the inner surfaces thereof, and said upper slidable plate has front and rear edges which rest in and are guided in said second guide tracks. 
     
     
       6. An elevating support mechanism comprising a rectangular base plate having left and right edges and front and rear edges,   an upstanding wall at each of said edges,   a first L-shaped bracket secured to each of said front and rear edges and extending inwardly to form a channel with the associated upstanding wall,   a first slotted guide member secured in each of said channels disposed along said front and rear edges of said base plate,   a second L-shaped bracket secured to all of said edges of said base plate and extending outwardly therefrom,   a lower rectangular slidable plate adjacent to and above said base plate and slidable with respect to said base plate,   said lower slidable plate having four rectangular apertures,   a rectangular upper plate having left and right edges and front and rear edges and adapted to support apparatus to be used by an operator,   a depending wall at each of said edges of said upper plate,   a first L-shaped bracket secured to the depending wall at each of said front and rear edges of said upper plate and extending inwardly to form a channel therewith,   a second slotted guide member secured in each of said channels disposed along said front and rear edges of said upper plate,   second L-shaped brackets secured to said edges of said upper plate and extending outwardly therefrom,   a bellows enclosing said mechanism and held in place on said L-shaped brackets,   an upper rectangular slidable plate adjustable to and beneath said upper plate and slidable with respect to said upper plate,   said upper slidable plate having two rectangular apertures,   four first lifter arms in the form of flat plates, each pivotably secured to one end to said base plate and pivotably secured at the other end to said upper slidable plate, said first lifter arms all sloping in the same direction with a negative slope from said base plate to said upper slidable plate,   two second lifter arms in the form of flat plates, each pivotably secured at one end to said upper plate and pivotably secured at the other end to said lower slidable plate, each of said second lifter arms sloping in the same direction with a positive slope,   each of said first and second lifter arms having a central axis about which the arm pivots,   each of said second lifter arms being aligned with two of said first lifter arms as an operating unit, with the central axes of all of the lifter arms in a unit being aligned and with a pivot pin seated in the ailgned central axes of the lifter arms of each unit, and   means for moving said upper slidable plate to cause said lifter arms to pivot about their central axes and thus raise or lower said upper plate and the apparatus supported thereby with respect to said base plate.   
     
     
       7. An elevating support mechanism comprising an upper assembly and a lower assembly   a plurality of pivotable arms in the form of flat plates interconnecting said upper assembly and said lower assembly,   said upper assembly including a first plate and a second plate slidably coupled thereto,   said lower assembly including a first plate and a second plate slidably coupled thereto,   four of said arms pivotably coupled at their upper ends to said second plate of said upper assembly and pivotably coupled at their lower ends, to the first plate of said lower assembly,   two of said arms pivotably coupled at their upper ends to the first plate of said upper assembly and pivotably coupled at their lower ends to said second plate of said lower assembly,   drive means coupled to said second plate of said upper assembly and operating to slide said second plate of said upper assembly with respect to the first plate of said upper assembly whereby said arms are caused to pivot and to raise or lower the upper assembly with respect to the lower assembly.   
     
     
       8. An elevating support mechanism comprising a base plate,   a lower slidable plate adjacent to said base plate and slidable with respect to said base plate,   an upper plate for supporting apparatus to be raised and lowered by an operator,   an upper slidable plate adjacent to said upper plate and slidable with respect to said upper plate,   first and second lifter arms aligned with each other and each pivotably secured at its lower end to said base plate and pivotably secured at its upper end to said upper slidable plate, said first and second lifter arms sloping in the same direction with a negative slope from said base plate to said upper slidable plate,   a third lifter arm being positioned between said first and second lifter arms and oriented with a positive slope,   a common pivot pin inserted through the centers of said first, second, and third arms to serve as a pivot axis therefor,   fourth and fifth lifter arms aligned with each other and each pivotably secured at its upper end to said upper slidable plate and pivotably secured at its lower end to said base plate, each of said fourth and fifth lifter arms sloping in the same direction with a negative slope,   said fourth and fifth lifter arms being spaced from said first and second lifter arms,   a sixth lifter arm positioned between said fourth and fifth lifter arms and oriented with a positive slope,   a common pivot pin inserted through the centers of said fourth, fifth, and sixth arms to serve as a pivot axis therefor, and   means coupled to said upper slidable plate for moving said upper slidable plate with respect to said upper plate to cause all of said arms to pivot and move said lower slidable plate with respect to said base plate and thereby to raise or lower said upper plate and its supported apparatus with respect to said base plate.